fS4 culpeper's complete herbal. 



The decoction of the seed made in milk or wine, doth help 

 excoriations, the phthisic, pleurisy, and other diseases of 

 the chest and lungs. The leaves and roots work the same 

 effects. They help also in the excoriations of the bowels, 

 and hardness of the mother, and in all hot and sharp dis- 

 eases thereof. The juice drank in wine, or the decoction 

 of them therein, helps women to a speedy and easy deli- 

 very. The syrup also, and conserve made of the flowers, 

 are very eflfectual for the same diseases, and to open the 

 body. The leaves bruised, and laid to the eyes with a lit- 

 tle honey, takes away the imposthumations of them. The 

 leaves bruised or rubbed upon any place stung with bees, 

 wasps, or the like, takes away the pain, inflammation and 

 swelling ; the decoction of the roots and leaves is an anti- 

 dote for poison. A poultice made of the leaves, with some 

 bean or barley flour, and oil of roses, is au especial remedy 

 against all hard tumours and inflammations, imposthumes, 

 or swellings of the testicles, or other parts, and eases the 

 pains of them ; as also against the hardneiss of the liver 

 or spleen, if applied to the places. The juice of Mallows 

 boiled in old oil, takes away roughness of the skin, scurf, 

 or dry scabs in the head, or other parts, if they be anoint- 

 ed with the decoction, and preserves the hair from falling 

 off. It is effectual against scalds and burns, St. Anthony^ 

 fire, and all other hot and painful swellings in any part of 

 the body. The flowers boiled in oil or water, and a little 

 honey and alum put in is an excellent gargle to heal sore 

 throat or mouth in a short time. If the feet be washed in 

 the decoction, it will draw the rheum from the head. The 



Cn leaves, beaten with nitre and applied, draws thorns 

 I the flesh. The decoction opens the strait passages, 

 and makes them slippery, whereby the stone may descend 

 the more easily, and without pain, out of the reins, kid- 

 neys, and bladder, and eases the pains thereof. But the 

 roots are of more special use for those purposes, as well 

 for coughs, hoarseness, shortness of breath, and wheezinffs, 

 being boiled in wine or honeyed water, and drunk. The 

 roots and seeds being boiled in wine or water, are profita- 

 ble against ruptures, cramps or convulsions of the sinews, 

 and boiled in white wine, for kernels that rise behind the 

 ears, and inflammations or swellings in womens' breasts. 

 The dried root boiled in milk, and drunk, is g:ood f or the 

 chin-cough. The decoction of the roots, or juice, is good 

 to drink for thoM who are wounded, and ready to faint 



y 



